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What to Watch: Terrace House!

The weekend is finally here again! Time to relax by curling up and binge-watching a new show! But now the question is, what to watch? Well, we’ve got you covered! Every week, we’ll undergo the arduous task of watching anything and everything in order to recommend only the most entertaining and fun content! Hey, somebody’s got to do it! This week’s suggestion is:

Terrace House: Boys and Girls in the City

This latest spin on the reality show genre is produced jointly by Netflix and Fuji TV. The show itself feels like it could be the Japanese entertainment world’s answer to “The Hills” or “The City”, but with its own unique take. The basic premise is that they have taken 6 strangers (3 girls and 3 guys) and given them a proper “penthouse” in the city, complete with pool, and a new car, and just let them be (with a plethora of cameras rolling of course!). It’s interesting because it’s not the usual dynamic you would expect from Western reality shows. Yes, there is drama and yes there is tension but not in the way that we’re used to experiencing it. There is no outright cat-fighting or drunken hookups…yet…we haven’t quite finished the 18 episode series, but we don’t expect it to be honest, and that in itself is refreshing!

And, to make it even more interesting, the show employs a panel of commentators, who hilariously walk us through what they think the housemates are feeling, thinking and hoping for! Reina Triendl (Model), You (Actress, Talent) and Yoshimi Tokui (Comedian) are some of the funniest, but everyone brings their own unique perspective to the conversation which adds so much to the overall entertainment value. And, did we mention it’s beautifully shot? We can really appreciate their attention to detail, all the way down to the amazing B-roll!

If we had one qualm with the production of the show, it would have to be the fact that it misses a chance to showcase Japanese musical talent. All the background music in the show sounds like generic “pop” music, which gives it even more of a “The Hills” feel. It’s kind of distracting since everyone is speaking Japanese smack dab in the middle of Tokyo, and yet all we hear in the background while trying to progress the storyline is some mediocre English language pop music. Sigh…swing and a miss for us!

But overall, its quite entertaining! There’s jealously, confusion and tears, but there are also fun moments as well and we’re sure you’ll love joining the cast on their journey through their experiences in Terrace House! Watch all 18 episodes now on Netflix!